Structural toy



March 15, A1932. G. E. LYoNs ET Ai. 1,849,877

STRUCTURAL TOY Filed July 24, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet l March I5', i932. E. LYoNs ET AL l1,849Q877 STRUCTURAL TOY Filed July 24, 1929 6 Sheets-Shed'l 2 l 'Mira/@MMS March'15, 1932 G. E. I YoNs ET AL 1,849,877

STRUCTURAL Toy Filed July 24, 1929 G SheeS-Sheekl 5 5 7 'zo Invenzioni "F62 .79 d/l/eyLy/ March 15, 1932. G. E. LYoNs ET AL.

STRUCTURAL TOY Filed July 24, 1929 s sheets-sheet 4 Eme/wxs ddr/fe AMarch 15, V'11932. G. E. I YoNs ET A1. 1,849,877

STRUCTURAL TOY Filed July 24, 1929 "e sheets-sheet 5 March 15, 1932. E, LYONS ET AL 1,849,877

STRUCTURAL TOY Filed my 24, 1929 s sheets-sheet e Patented Mar. 15, 1932 i! STATES UNITY GARVEY E. LYONS, OF. S'I". LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND BERT, J'. ANDERSON, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA, 'ASSIGNDBS T0 TIEMETALC'RAFT CORPO:Et-A921019',VA OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,

A CORPORATION' OF MISSOURI STRUCTURAL TOY Application filed July 24, 1929. Serial No. 380,533.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in structural toys and more particularly in toy railroad cars.

Y The objects of the invention are to provide a structural toy consisting of a wheeledbody and a plurality of interchangeable parts whereby varioustypes of cars can be built by theuse of appropriate parts.

Further objects ,of the invention are to prov-ide a structuraltoy car having a wheeled base or body portion and a plurality of interchangeable parts adaptedy to be detachably secured in assembled relation on said body portion. u Other objects of the invention are to provide'a structural toy car comprising a body portion and car trucks detachably secured thereto, said trucks having pivotal engage ment with said body portion to permit swinging movement of the latter relative to said trucks, thewheelsof the truck being carried by axles which are detachably arranged in the sides of said trucks and are interchangeze able so as to adjust said wheels to tracks of D ditl'erent `widths or gauges. y

Additional objects of the invention are to provide a construction set comprising a plurality of interchangeable metallic parts whereby a wheeled toy, such as a railroad car, can be built to represent various types of cars.

With these and other objects in view, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangeinent'of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying vdrawings, in which#- Figure 1 is a side elevationalview .of a if flat car.

' Figure 2 is a top plan view of same, partly broken away.

Figure 3 i`s-an end elevational Aview of saine. Figure l is an end elevationaly viewfof a modified form. y j Figure 5 is'an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on line l5--5 oi'Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 6--6 of Figure 1. i

Figure 7 is a side `elevational viewof a stake car.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of saine. Figure 9 is an enlarged detailview taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a side elevational view ofu a tank car with the car trucks partly broken 55 away. A

Figure 11 is a cross section taken on line iifii of Figure io. i

Figure l2 is a side elevationall viewA ofa box car. Y 60 Figure 13 is an end elevational view of saine partly in cross section.

Figure 14 is a front elevational view kof one of the car end sections. Y I

Figure 15 is a vertical crossl section taken C5 on line 15--15 of Figure 12. L

Figure 16 is a sideelevational view vof a stock car with the car trucks partly broken away.

Figure 17 is a side elevational view of a derrick car with the car trucks broken away.

Figure v18 is an end elevational view of saine. Figure 19 isa side elevational view, partly broken away, of a passenger car. L

Figure 20 is an end elevational view of saine. i

Figure 21 is a side elevational viewoi a caboose car.

Figure 22 is an endA elevational view of 5v saine. c

Figure 23 is a cross section of saine, ,taken on line 23-23 of Figure 21.

Figure 2a is a side elevational view partly broken away of a gondola car.

Figure 25 is a sideelevationalyiew of a.V hopper car. Y

Y Figure 26 is a cross section ofsaine taken on line 26-26 oFigure 25.

Figure 27 is a side eleVatiOnalvieW-O an armoured car, partly broken away.

Figure 28 is a cross section taken on line 28e- 28 of Figure 27.

l Thepurpose of the present invention isthe provision. of a constructionset whereby toy railroad cars ofvarious types canbe built by the use of dierentparts furnished with the set, the car trucks and the base portion being used without change in conjunction with all the diilerent types of cars. rlhe various parts utilized to form the different bodies of the cars are standardized so that they can be used interchangeably with the base/the parts being secured preferably by means of suitable nuts and bolts.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, indicates a flat car consisting of a pair of wheeled trucks 11 and a car base member12.v The latter is preferably I, secured to each truck by means of a bolt 13 which extends downwardly through a sleeve 14 formed integral with and depending from the horizontal portion 15 of base member 12. A washer 16 is arranged against the lower -J end of sleeve 14 and bearing against said washer is a nut 17 which is screwed on the threaded endof bolt 13.

Each truck 11 comprises a horizontal porvtion 18 which is arranged against the underside ofmember 15 and is provided with a central aperture 19 ini'which is operatively disposed sleeve 14 so that each truck 11 and base 12 can swing on the axis of each bolt 13 in a horizontal plane independently of each other. Each truck 11 is provided with side pieces 20 which are formed integral with l member 18 and extend downwardly to each F. Ob

Vare arranged on theinside of said journal box portions and are held against inward movement by nuts 27 and locking nuts 28.

` "With the wheels arranged on the inside of the car truck, the car is designed for use on narrow gauge tracks.v When it is desired to use the car on the standard gauge track, the

-i car wheels are arranged on the outside of the car truck as shown in the modified formin Figure 4. y

In this form an axle 29 is provided at one end with a head 30 and one of the car wheels is arranged between this head and the outer face of the corresponding journal box portion 21. The other end of the car axle is provided with an aperture in which is adapted to be arranged a cotter pin 31. A washer 32 is preferably arrangedbetween said cotter pin and the corresponding car wheel 26. The distance betweeneach pair of wheels when thus assembled corresponds to the standard gauge track used with the various toy trains.

Each base member 12 is provided .with longitudinally disposed-flanges 15a which are Y preferably turned upwardly. Each of'these flanges is formed with a series of spaced apertures 34 which serve Vto receive means for attaching the various parts in building different types of car bodies. Portion 15 is provided with a vertically disposed aperture 35 which is arranged equidistant from the ends of member 12 on the longitudinal axis thereof andV substantially in line with sleeves 14. Each end of member 15 is provided with a series of apertures 36 suitably spaced apart.

When it is desired to build a stake car, such as shown in Figure 7, stakes 37 which are provided for the purpose are attached to flanges 15'LL by means of bolts and nuts 38 and 39, respectively, which pass through the vapertures formed in the lower ends of said stakes and through the apertures 34 formed in flanges 15a. Stakes 37 are preferably formed channel-shape in cross section but may be of-other shapes if so desired. In the present instance, the flanges of each stake are cut away near the lower end thereof as indicated at 40 so that when the stake is in position the lower ends of the flanges rest on the upwardly presented edge Vof flange 15a.

When it is desired to build a tank car (Figures 10 and 11), a tank 41 is attached to the flat car, such as shown in Figure 1, by means of a bolt 42 and nut 43. The bolt is passed through an aperture 41a formed in the peripheral wall of the tank and through aperture 35, and is secured in position by nut 43. The tank 41 consists of an open ended cylinder 44, the length of which is slightly less than the length of member 12 and said cylinder is of suitable diameter so as to preserve the general proportions. The ends of this member are closed by caps 45 which are secured thereto by an elongated screw or rod 46 which passes through central apertures formed in said caps and extends longitudinally through member 41.r The threaded end of the rod 46 receives a suitable nut which when tightened secures caps 45 in position on the ends of member 41.

The peripheral wall of member 41 is provided at a point diametrically opposed to bolt 42 with an aperture 47 through which is passed the threaded end of a bolt 48. The head of this bolt bears against a cap 49 of a dome member '50 which latter lits against the upper face of member 41. Cap 49 `and dome 50 are secured in position by bolt 48 and a nut 51 which is screwed on the threaded end of said bolt and bears against the underside of member 41. Preferably'this member is provided with a pair of spaced apertures 52 which are arranged in line with the aperture receiving bolt 42 and are so spaced as to be arranged in axial alignment with bolts 13 of the car structure 10. Thus said apertures 52 not only provide the necessary clearance for the heads of said bolts but also serve to hold the cylindrical member 41 against turningon the axis of bolt 42.

In Figures 12 to 15 is shown a box car construction. In this form a series of side wall members 54 is secured at their lower edges movement of the door.

to-the flanges a, preferably by the same Screw bolt and nut fastening means 38. and 39 whichare used to attach stakes 37 in position. Members 54 are spaced from each other to provide a door opening 55 which is closed by a sliding door 56. The sliding door is arranged on the inside of members 54 and a short section 57 is preferably secured to flange labetween sections 54. Side wall members 54 are provided at their upper edges with ears 56 to which is secured by suitable bolt and nut fastening means 57 a roof 58.` The ends of the box car are closed by end wall sections 59 each of which is p-rovided with a Aseries of inwardly extending ears 6@ which are adapted to be secured by bolt and nut means 61 to the end edges of members 54.

The sliding vdoor 56 is preferably disposed in `vertical plane with each ange 15a and has the lower edge resting on the. upwardly presented edge of the flange. Each dooriis held in position by a guide 62 which is arranged against the inner 4side of the flange and is substantially coextensive with the extent of The upper edge of this guide extends a suitable distance above the lower edge of the door, thereby preventing the door fromjumping off its support. A similar guide 63.is arranged to `guidethe upper edge of the door andy this guide is secured'in position by the attaching means 57 used to attach the roof 58 in position while guide 62' is secured in position by attaching means 38 and 39, used to secure side wall members 54 and members 57 inv position against flanges 15a.

The stock car shown in Figure 16 is constructed in a manner similar to the box car with the exception thatthe side Wall members 64 are provided with a series of elongated openings 65 and the sliding door 66 is also provided with a series of elongated openings 67 so as to give the appearance that said side members and said doors are constructed of r a series of horizontally disposed spaced'rails.

Both sliding doors 56 and 66 are provided at a suitable height and near their outer edges withscrews 68, the headsof which are `presented outwardly and form handles by means of which said doors can be operated. Also said heads form stops for limiting the closing movement of said door.

In the form shown in Figures 17 and 18,

a derrick car is illustrated. In this form a platform member 69 of inverted U-shape 69 and is secured thereto by the aforesaid ates a cable 79. Oneend of the cable is provided with a hook V andthe other endof the cable extends into the housing and is wound on the horizontally disposed shaft 81 .whichis mounted in the walls 7.3 and has one end provided with a handle 82 by means of which` said .cable lcan be: operated to. raise and lowerV hook 80. The housing 70 carry; ing derrick .76 can` be moved about thev vertical axis of member .71 :so yasv to bring said derrick and hook 8G atany angle to theicen tral vertical axis ofthe car.; l

In'the formV shown .inFigures 19 and 20,

a passenger car isillustrated comprising side Vwall members 83, thezlower edges of which are'secured @flanges-15a by attaching means 38l while= the supper. edges receive aroof'84. This roof is given the proper 4.shape `so as to imitate. theroof ofthe passenger cars and the sidewall member-s 83 are provided with suitable windows 85. The ends of the passenger carsfare closed by.` suitable end walls 86 having. doorv openings 87. VDoors 88- are formed in the'side wallV members '84. `Steps 89 are provided for each side door 88.

The Caboosecar .(Figures 21 and 23.) is bniltf by :means Aof. iside.` wall members '90 which'fare attached to flanges '15.and carry the roof member 58. Endwall sections-59 are' detachably attached tothe side wall-sec tions 90 tocomplete the caboose.y The side wall members 90A are comparatively shorter than the member 12, thereby providing at each end of the caboose platforms 91.

Rai-l sections 92 are detachably secured to thesendsf of member `12,preferably by suit; able fastening means engaging the apertures 36and steps '89 are .attached to flanges 15a and leadV tofsaidv platformsi9l. V@ne of the platforms is providedfwith a` brake wheel 94 whichis secured to the'upper end of a vertically disposed rod 95.. This rod has a bearing. ina. bracket 96 attached to one of the end rail sections 92 and the; lower end of said rod` passes through the central aperture 36 andis secured by a suitable nutin position` in member 15.' `This brake wheel arrangement isalscusedin connection with of the end sections 59and receives the lower end of the rod, while the. upper end of the rod passe's'through an aperture formed in the overhanging portion of roof 58. Rod 95 is secured in-position by suitable nuts 97.

A cupola 98 is secured to roof 58 and pro- .jects upwardly therefrom. This cupola comprises a wall member 99v and a roof 100 and is held in position on roof 58 by a bolt 101, the head of which rests against roof 100 while the bolt passes downwardly through an aperture formed in roof 58V and receives a nut -102`which bears against the underside of said roof and holds said cupola in position.

In Figure 24 is shown a gondola car having side wall members 103 detachably attached to flanges a and having end wall sections 104 detachably attached to the ends ofside wall sections 103 while the top of the car is-open.. A hopper car 105 is shown in Figures 25 and 26. This hopper car comprises side wall -members 106, the parallel horizontal edges of which are provided with a series of spaced -apertures 107 which are arranged in the upper edge and apertures 108 which are arranged in the lower edge. Theseapertures are soarranged that they are adapted to coincide with the apertures 34 formedv in flanges 15a.Y The same fastening means 38 and 89 are used to attach side walls 106 in position on member 12. Y The end edges vof side walls 106 extend vertically for a short distance from the upper edges andare then inclined inwardly and downwardly so as to produce the hopper effect. End walls 109 are similarly shaped andare' provided with'a series of apertured ears 110 which coincide with apertures formed in said side walls whereby the end walls can be attached in position thereto by suitable fastening means 112. To carry out further the hopper effect, a section 114 is secured to the underside of bottom wall 15 by a bolt and nut 115 which engages aperture formed in bottom wall 15. The end walls of this member 114 are disposed lob- Y prising the hopper is placed on member .12

'in inverted position with apertures 107 aligned with apertures 34, the same fastenirfg means 38 and 39 being used to secure the body member in position. The end walls I 109 are now inclined upwardly and inwardly.. The member l69 used for mounting the derrick housing 73 is attached in position between the upper edges of the side wall members 106 and forms a mounting for an assemblage 117i which represents a machinegun. Thisv assemblage comprises a turret member 118 having upwardly extending flanges suitably apertured and arranged in one of these apertures is comparatively long screw 119 which extends radially therefrom and represents a machine-gun. Member 118 is provided in its bottom with a central aperture through which passes vthe bolt of suitable fastening means 120 by means of which or finished with any. non-'rustingV process.

As the only fastening means employed in the set consists of bolts and nuts, the parts can be easily assembled, without requiring a great degree of skill.

The great variety` of models, provided by the construction set, enhances the usefulness thereof, as a child can readily build other models when tired of oney type of car.

y As the parts are all made of metal, they are not likely to be'damaged and will withstand considerable amount of abuse. Further, such parts can be manufactured economically, as they can be stamped.

`Weclaimz 1. A structural toy railroad car comprisling in combination a fiat car body open at both ends and having its sides formed with longitudinally disposed flanges, a car truck frame pivotally connected to said car body near each end thereof, a pair of axles detachably journaled in each car truck, a pair of car wheels detachably mounted on each axle, and detachable means on .each axle for securingV said wheels thereon and securing said axle in said car truck.

2. A structural toy railroad car of the class described comprising in combination a flat car body open atboth ends and having its` sides formed with longitudinally disposed fianges, each of which is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures adapted to receive suitable attaching means whereby various car body .structures can` be attached to said flat car body, a car truck frame having integral side members, a bolt for pivotally attaching said car truck to said car body near each end thereof, a pair of axles mounttegral longitudinally disposed flanges, each of Which is provided With a plurality of spaced apertures, a car body structure adapted to be placed on said flat car body, bolts for engaging said car body structure and said apertures in said side flanges for detachably securing said parts together, a pair of car truck frames, a bolt for detachably land pivotally engaging each car truck to said fiat car body near each end thereof, a pair of axles detaohably mounted in each car truck, a pair of car Wheels arranged on each axle, and nuts screw-threaded on the ends of each axle for securing said car Wheels in spaced relation with each other and with said car truck and maintaining said axles in position.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures this 8th day of July, 1929.

GARVEY E. LYONS. BERT J. ANDERSGN. 

